Just a Mile Away

*Luhan's POV*

I put her down gently from my back and helped her sit on her couch. I grabbed a pillow and placed it on the coffee table, then gently placed her sprain feet on top of it.

"Do you have any muscle pain cream or gel?" I asked her.

"Yes I do. It's over there at the shelf." She pointed over to her left.

I walked toward the brown shelf by the kitchen, but then the yellow gift box on the glass shelf caught my eyes first.

"Is this…" I mumbled to myself.

I grabbed the yellow gift box and it fix perfectly into my hand. The gift box looks as good as new as if it's haven't never been open.

"Did you find it?" She called out.

I put the gift box back. "Yeah." I answered her and grabbed the muscle cream on the brown shelf. I walked back to her and she held out her hand.

"Thank you." She said. But I didn't hand the cream to her, instead I pulled a small chair over and seated in front of her sprain ankle.

"What are you doing?" She asked quickly.

I looked at her, "Massaging you ankle."

"Hak! Give it to me, I'll do it myself!" She exclaimed and tried to reach for the cream but I didn't bother handing it over to her. "Luhan!" She shouted.

"Don't be so stubborn, I'll do it for you." I said as I gently took off her high heel.

I squeezed the muscle cream onto her ankle and she groaned as I massage it.

"Ow!" She cried out and I got surprised. "It hurt! Don't massage it too hard!"

"I'm sorry." I said.

I tried my best to massaged her ankle as gentle as I can, but I can't tell if I'm using my strength too much or too less.

I glanced at her and her face was all sour up because of the pain.

"Actually…" I said softly. "To be honest with you… this is my first time massaging someone else other than myself." I confessed. "So I apologize if it hurt a bit."
She waited couple of seconds before saying anything back.

"You don't have to apologize, it's my own fault anyways." She said. I glanced at her again and smiled.

The thought of the gift box kept wandering around in my head. Should I ask her about it, or should I not? I can't predict how she's going to react at all. Her temper kept going back and forth and it's always making me hesitating on what I wanted to say. She probably will get mad if I ask her. Well, I could give it a try…

"Jiyoung ah…" I said her name softly.

"What?" She responded boldly.

"A minute ago when I went to get the muscle cream, I saw a yellow gift box—"

"HUK! Did you open it!?" She shouted out, cutting my words.

I was quite surprised too so I flinched a little when she yelled out.

"No I haven't." I quickly answered her before she thinks too far off.

And after I said that her shoulder sank back down and she sighed in relief.

"Woosh, you made my spirit flew out of my body for a second there." She said.

"So… who gave it to you?" I asked.

"Umh…" Her eyes were wandering around, probably trying to think of something to said. "It's.. it's my boyfriend!"

A laugh almost burst out of my mouth.

"Your.. your boyfriend?" I asked, half laughing.

"Geeekk!" She swing her hand at me but luckily I was sitting a little bit further that her hand didn't get to me. "Of course it's my boyfriend! You are thinking that I have never had a boyfriend in my life!"

I suddenly burst out laughing. If I didn't know the truth, I would probably believe that her boyfriend really did gave it to her. But since I know the truth of whose the owner of that gift box, it's just funny the way she tried to make things up. However, it's also cute the way she says it too.

"Let me tell you what!" She continued on. "When I was still in high school, there's a line of guys outside of my door waiting for me to accept their confession!"

"Okay, okay. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at you." I said as I'm trying to hold my laugh.

"Hump. You don't sound like you didn't mean to." She mumbled to herself.

"So.. your boyfriend gave it to you?" I asked again.

"Yes. He did."

"Then why didn't you open it?"

"Because, I made a promised to myself that I'll not open it until I meet him again."
My eyes sparkles at what she had just says. No wonder she didn't remember me, she haven't open the gift box yet.

"What if… you already met him but you just don't remember him?" I asked curiously. "And what if… that gift box has something in it that'll make you remember him again, will you open it?"

I stared straight into her eyes, hoping I can see what's in her mind right now.

*Jiyoung's POV*

My heart stops beating at his words. He is staring at me right now, waiting for me to give him an answered. But I can't find any words to say.

At first I didn't think that he'll be it, but now I'm starting to have second thoughts. He's the first guy that made me think back to that little boy. And ever since I've met him, I kept seeing and hearing things that I haven't heard since my childhood.

Even when Nicole and I are so close, she had never ask me anything about that gift box. So why did he?

He slowly made a small smile, since I have gone quiet and didn't say anything at all after his question.

"I'm sorry… if I went too far into your personal life." He said.

Ding Dong! The door bell interrupted our conversion and I didn't get to response anything back to him.

"I'll get it." He said and gets up from the seat.

*Luhan's POV*

I got to the door and opened it. I was surprised and so is Nicole, who is standing outside of the door.

"Good evening, Miss Nicole." I greeted her first.

"Good evening… Mr. Luhan." She greeted back while still seem to be dazed out. "Did I came to the wrong house?" She scanned around the area. "I'm pretty sure I did not."

"You came to the right place." I smiled at her. "Come on in. Jiyoung is in here." I made way for her to get in.

She steps in and notices Jiyoung on the couch with her feet on the coffee table.

"Jiyoung ah!" She sounded shock and rushed over to Jiyoung. "What happen to you?" She seated down next to Jiyoung.

I stood by the door, waiting for a good time to said something.

"I tripped and sprained my ankle." Jiyoung said.

"Owh! You!" Nicole pushes Jiyoung's head with her fist. "You're as clumsy as always!"

"Ah-ah." Jiyoung cried. "I'm an injured patient right now can't you see."

"You and your two left feet!" Nicole scolded her.

"Um…" I uttered out and both of them look at me. "Since Miss Nicole is already here, then I'll probably be heading home now." I said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Nicole responded. "I didn't mean to come in and interrupt both of your personal time together." She glanced back and forth between Jiyoung and I.

Jiyoung was about to say something, but I quickly interrupt her instead.

"You didn't interrupt anything." I said. And Jiyoung look back at me again. "I was about to head out too."

"Ah… what a nice timing?" Nicole said and looked back at Jiyoung. "You got him to take care of you when I'm not around and when he's not around, you got me. Aren't you such a lucky girl?" Nicole elbowed Jiyoung and Jiyoung gently slapped her arm.

"You can go back home too if you wants." Jiyoung said.

Nicole laughed and turned back to me. She stood up and bow, "Thank you so much for taking care of this clumsy girl. I really appreciated."

"You’re welcome." I said. "See you two tomorrow." I was about to step out.

"Luhan ah!" Jiyoung called out to me and I turned back to her.

"Hm?"

She hesitated for a bit but then said, "Thank you."

Her words brought a smile to my face.

"You're very welcome." I responded back to her and then steps out, closing the door after.

As soon as I stepped out of the gate to her house, my cell phone ring.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Luhan, please come over to the hospital right now, he is out of control and only wants you!"
The nurse lady cried out through the cell phone.

"I'm coming right now. Just stay out of the room, okay?" I said.

"Yes we will."

I ended the call and ran back to the school, where my car is still parked at.

*Jiyoung's POV*

We watched Luhan as he stepped out of the door and closing the door after. And as soon as he left, Nicole turned back to me, grabbing my arm as well.

"I saw~aw it!" Nicole beamed excitedly.

"You saw what?" I said.

She scoffed, "Don't tell me you sprain your head also?"

I gave her a confusedly look.

"Your whole brain has been wash by Mr. Luhan that you had totally forgot what we had talk about during lunch time, huh?" She said teasingly.

"I am not brain wash by him!" I strongly rejected.
She laughed, "We're talking about the maple tree…" She reminded me.

"Ah! Yes! You saw it right!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, I went there personally right after my class ends. And saw it with my own eyes." She said.

"See what I mean!" I crossed my arms. "What guts does he had to craved his name right under my name?!"

"But I think it's cute though." She said and I glared at her. "Since he had craved his name on it too, it make the scenery seems like… you two are a lovely couple."

"Don’t say that!" I tried to stop her but she continued on.

"And while I were there I was like, man I should have bought a knife along and crave a big heart around both of the names. That will be a beautiful sight right there." She even added some hand gesture. "And what did you just called him? Luhan ah? ... When did you two became so close?"

"I'm hungry! Can you make me a ramen please?" I tried to change the subject.

"Eh, eh! Next time pretend that you are sick so he can come over and take care of you again!"She laugh excitedly and I swing my fist at her. But she jumped away. "And next time, there might also be some—" She stuck her lips out. "Muuahhh!"

"Nicole!" I angrily throw a pillow at her and she just continued to laugh her butt off.

Notes